After 7 years they are back with a new full-length and they return with a blast. With evil sounding riffs, raging tempos and grunting and screaming vocal parts they leave no questions asked. With parts reminding me of Dark Throne, Morbid Angel and eighties thrash embedded in their music. Absu also adds very interesting spacey sounds in some of their songs, especially in the sixth song "....Of the Dead..." they experiment with it.

To me the song "Amy" is one of the best, this is the most straightforward song with a nice head banging riff, the thrashiest one on the album. Opening song "Between the Absu of Eridu & Erech" starts full speed ahead with one blast-beat after another. The rest of the album leaves no questions asked about the bands tendencies; they launch themselves into the future as one of the bands to take into account. "Magic(k) Square Cipher" sounds like an over the top version of an early Kreator song. After that they musically return to Morbid Angels 'Altars of Madness' period.

Fans of Morbid Angel and even early  Nile will do themselves a big favour if they purchase this album. Absu does themselves a big effort with this album. They prove to be a band to reckon with still. Abs(u)lutely an album that sets the standard for extreme Black/Death metal for 2009.